Wham Roots

12/1/2006 Final note from "Web Keeper": After a run of
eight
years, it's time to pass the torch on to younger hands! It's been
hard work and a lot of fun. I have received messages from more
"cousins"
than I ever knew existed. We have had the pleasure to meet
several
of them from all over the country, and it never would have happened
without
the "miracle" of the world wide communications potential of the
internet!
Thanks to all who have made this web site what it is. If any of
the
"cousins" are ever in the area of Western Kentucky/Southern Illinois
please
stop by. For the forseeable future, the present web site will be
left online, but will not be further updated.

Thanks much to Thomas James Wham and Thomas Bruce
Wham
for accepting the challenge to keep the Wham Family Tree alive on the
net!
Please help them by sending additional information to them at the above
link.

3/25/2006 News from "Web Keeper": Fred L. Wham, Jr. of
Centralia,
Illinois, my Dad, died on March 13, 2006, just a few hours short of his
96th birthday. Everyone is telling me he/she is "sorry".
Well,
I'm sorry too, but his death was more of a blessing than a curse.
He had been "house-bound" for the past several years, unable to get out
of bed for the past several months. He was still fairly
alert
mentally, and with his physical limitations, he situation was
pretty
grim. It was only with round the clock personal care that he was
able to remain in his own home. Especially since the death of my
Mom, in November, 2005, Dad's life had become more of a matter of day
to
day survival than any source of satisfaction to him. Thanks to
all
who have expressed their condolences and kind words.

Now the good news: In going through some of
Dad's
personal letters, I came across a clipping from about ten or fifteen
years
ago, about a group of people trying to organize some system of taking
care
of Wham Hill Cemetery. On the clipping was written the name
"Gain"
and a telephone number. I reached Walter Earl Gain, who had been
taking care of Wham Hill Cemetery for many years, until poor health
forced
him to give it up a few years ago. (Thanks from all of us to
"Earl".)
Walter Earl Gain has several family members buried at WHC. I was
lucky to call him at the time he was being visited by his daughter,
Joyce
Myers. After some discussion, we determined that we are distant
cousins!
Her great grandmother was Mary Isabella Wham, who married Joel Harvey
Gain.
Always wonderful to "meet" another cousin. We had a great
conversation
with lots of common denominators - mainly centered around the Cartter,
Kell, Kinmundy communities near Centralia and Salem, Illinois.It really is a small world!

2/20/2005 - Overview of Wham History - England,
Scotland,
Ireland, America. Possible origin of name - Submitted by Thomas
J.
Wham, Mountain Home, Arkansas. This is the single BEST
contribution
to this web site! If you don't go anywhere else - go here: Tom
Wham History

Important: Almost all
this
information is in the public record, but if anyone is listed here and
wishes
to be "unlisted", please contact me. Your name will be removed!
The
information contained here comes from a variety of sources, and
every
attempt is made to be accurate. However errors are present.
Please send corrections and additions. email :richard(AT)wham.org